This application relates to printing methods and, specifically, to a method and apparatus for representing print jobs.
Print jobs are represented using a variety of protocols. Such protocols usually include a representation of the data to be printed and a description of how the printer communicates with the device sending the print job. For example, RFC (Request for Comments) 1179 describes a line printer daemon protocol. This protocol was designed solely as a printing protocol. In contrast, RFC 822 and RFC 1521 describe the MIME (Multi-purpose Internet Mail Extensions) protocol. This protocol was designed primarily for use with e-mail.
The growing popularity of the Internet has led to changes in how people look at computer systems and how computer systems communicate. What is needed is a protocol that is simple and can be used by a wide variety of components in a computer network, and that can also be used as a printer protocol.
The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art by representing data to be printed using a compact format compatible with the format used in the HTTP version of the MIME protocol. A preferred embodiment of the present invention adds certain extensions to the HTTP version of the MIME protocol to make it usable as a printer protocol.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a method of sending a print job to a printer, comprising the steps performed by a data processing system having a memory, of: creating, in the memory, an xe2x80x9capplication/jobAttributesxe2x80x9d entity for the print job; creating, in the memory, an entity for a document in the print job; sending the created entities to the printer as an HTTP request; and receiving an HTTP response from the printer, specifying a status of the print job.
In further accordance with the purpose of this invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a printer, comprising: a portion configured to receive, as an HTTP request, an xe2x80x9capplication/jobAttributesxe2x80x9d entity and an entity for a document in a print job; a printing portion configured to print the document in accordance with the xe2x80x9capplication/jobAttributesxe2x80x9d entity and the entity for the document; and a portion configured to send an HTTP response from the printer indicating a status of the printing portion.
In further accordance with the purpose of this invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a method of sending a print job including a document to a printer, comprising the steps performed by a data processing system having a memory, of: creating in the memory, one of a MIME entity having a content-type describing an attribute for the print job or a MIME entity having a content-type describing an attribute for the document; creating in the memory a MIME entity for the contents of the document, and sending the created entities to the printer.
Advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and equivalents.